Impact of global trade agreements on agricultural producer prices in Asian countries.

Following global trade agreements, Asian countries have been highly aggressive in implementing free trade. These conditions will impact all sectors, including agriculture. This study aims to examine the impact of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), World Trade Organization membership (WTO), and the Doha Round implementations on agricultural producer prices in Asian countries (PPI). The study was conducted using secondary data from 1991 to 2020. The data for 28 Asian countries were analyzed using the first difference General Method of Moments (GMM). The results show that implementing the GATT raises the PPI, but implementing the WTO has the reverse impact. PPI is unaffected by the Doha Round. Inflation, exchange rate, value-added, human capital, and land area equipped for irrigation are all positive contributors to PPI. Several recommendations are made to increase PPI in Asian countries: increasing commitment to agricultural fair trade, increasing agricultural value-added, improving educational opportunities for agricultural business players, and prioritizing agricultural infrastructure investment.

GP perceptions of informal peer support in primary care: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Burnout is on the rise among GPs in the UK. One approach to mitigating burnout in GPs is through informal peer support (IPS). This refers to GPs informally supporting each other on an informational (advice) and emotional (venting and reflection) basis. AIM: To explore GPs' perceptions of how IPS manifests in the primary care setting and what factors influence effective GP engagement with IPS. DESIGN & SETTING: A qualitative study utilising semi-structured interviews to develop an in-depth understanding of GPs' perceptions of IPS, based on their experiences in practices across England. METHOD: Fifteen GPs were purposively sampled to include the views of locum, salaried, and trainee GPs and GP partners. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four types of IPS were identified relating to emotional support, professional advice, sharing of workload, and mentorship, which reflect existing literature. The frequency and efficacy of IPS was found to be influenced by several factors categorised into individual traits, practice culture, and occupation. CONCLUSION: The results highlight where efforts should be directed to improve GP engagement with IPS. Specifically, GP leaders have an important role in shaping practice culture and fostering an environment for IPS to occur. Practices may also benefit from introducing professional development measures targeted at training GPs to better support each other based on their individual traits.

[First Hungarian report of Geotrichum capitatum/Saprochaete capitata infection in an immunocompromised child]. / Geotrichum capitatum/Saprochaete capitata fertozés elso hazai esete egy immunszupprimált gyermekben.

Patients with leukemia may occasionally suffer from rare opportunistic fungal infections with poor prognosis. Fungal infection caused by Geotrichum captitatum has not yet been described in Hungary. With this case report, we would like to draw attention to the fungal infection caused by G. capitatum. The 1.5-year-old girl with acute myeloid leukemia was treated for relapse diagnosed +120 days after a sibling donor bone marrow transplantation. High-grade, fluctuating fever began 11 days after the start of chemotherapy which did not decrease despite combined treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics and antifungals (posaconasole). Due to worsening respiratory symptoms, a chest CT-scan was performed, raising suspicion of an invasive fungal infection. Blood culture confirmed G. capitatum infection. Initial empiric treatment with liposomal amphotericin B was combined with voriconazole based on international experience. However, we did not observe any improvement, and a few days later the patient passed away due to progression of the underlying disease. G. capitatum (presently known as Saprochaete capitata) is an ubiquitous yeast that can cause an infection with a poor prognosis, mainly in patients with leukemia. Its symptoms primarily appear in the skin and respiratory tract. The accurate identification of this pathogen is essential because the standard diagnostic tests do not give a specific reaction. Based on the limited international experience, the combination of amphotericin B and voriconazole can play a fundamental role in the treatment, however, even with adequate therapy 50% of the cases are fatal. By describing the first Hungarian case caused by G. capitatum, we draw attention to the importance of this rare, opportunistic fungal species with a poor prognosis that develops in immunosuppressed patients. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(26): 1034-1038.

Self-Compassion, Work Engagement and Job Performance among Intensive Care Nurses during COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediation Role of Mental Health and the Moderating Role of Gender.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted attention on the importance of certain variables in predicting job performance. Among these, mental health is one of the main variables affected by this pandemic. It can have an important mediating role in predicting job performance by individual, occupational, and organizational variables, especially in the nursing community. However, there is little information about its mediation role among the predictors of job performance. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the role of mental health as a mediating factor in the influence of self-compassion and work engagement on ICU nurses' job performance during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the moderating effect of gender on all model relations. A survey of 424 ICU nurses (men 193 and women 231) was undertaken in three Coronavirus hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. (2) Method: Questionnaires were distributed and collected among the statistical sample, and the data from the questionnaires were analyzed using AMOS24 software (version 24). The research model was evaluated in two stages (the main model and the two sub-models in two gender groups). (3) Result: The analysis revealed that work engagement (ß = 0.42, p < 0.001), mental health (ß = 0.54, p < 0.001) and job performance (ß = 0.51, p < 0.001) were discovered to be positively related to self-compassion. Work engagement is positively associated with mental health (ß = 0.16, p < 0.01) and job performance (ß = 0.21, p < 0.001), and mental health is linked positively to job performance (ß = 0.23, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the effects of self-compassion and work engagement on job performance are mediated by mental health. According to the findings, gender moderates the link between self-compassion and work engagement, work engagement and job performance, and self-compassion and job performance. (4) Conclusion: Mental health has a mediating role in the effect of self-compassion and work engagement on ICU nurses' job performance. Gender also acted as a moderator in some relationships. Males are dominant in all of these relationships as compared to females.

Coffee Yield Stability as a Factor of Food Security.

Yield fluctuation is a major risk in all agricultural sectors, and it influences Goal 2 (food security) of the UN SDGs. Yield fluctuations are expected due to climate change, risking stable coffee supplies, and compromising coffee-exporting countries' ability to earn revenue to pay for food imports. Technology minimizing yield fluctuations is crucial for food security and for coffee farmers to earn a stable income. Fluctuations are small if yields remain close to the mean yield trends. In this study, the coffee yields of major producers are analyzed, together with zonal temperature data, to see where coffee is grown with stable technology under rising temperatures; thus, we demonstrate the advantages of the Yield Stability Index (YSI) over traditional stability measurements in guiding policy formulation and managerial decisions. The Yield Stability Index (YSI) is applied for 1961-1994 and 1995-2020, for the world's 12 major coffee-producing countries. The YSI indicates that of the 12 countries, only Indonesia, Honduras, and Mexico maintain stable yield levels, while Brazil and Vietnam considerably improve their yield stability, which traditional stability measures cannot grasp. Country-wise differences exist in environmental vulnerability and adaptability, with implications for food security. The novelty is the application of the YSI, and the connection between yield stability, climate change, and food security.

A SEM-NCA Approach towards Social Networks Marketing: Evaluating Consumers' Sustainable Purchase Behavior with the Moderating Role of Eco-Friendly Attitude.

This paper aims to investigate how social network marketing affects consumers' sustainable purchase behavior (CSPB) while considering the role of Eco-friendly attitude. The statistical population of the study included Iranian users of online social networks with at least one online purchasing experience. An online questionnaire was distributed on Instagram, Telegram, and WhatsApp platforms as the most popular networks in the country. By use of convenience sampling, commonly used in quantitative studies to overcome bias, 450 out of 475 returned questionnaires were acceptable, showing a response rate of 94.7%. The results indicated that an increase in Eco-friendly attitude positively increases the effect of word of mouth on consumers' sustainable purchase behavior. Meanwhile, Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) revealed that to reach a 50% level of consumers' sustainable purchase behavior, six essential necessary conditions are required: an eco-friendly consumers' attitude at no less than 50%, the trend at no less than 57.1%, word of mouth at no less than 45.5%, interaction at no less than 42.9%, customization at no less than 35.3% and entertainment at no less than 26.7%. Furthermore, the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) was investigated as a strategic tool. The results of IPMA showed that "buy products that use biodegradable material in packaging", "buy those products that are picked up and recycled", and "buy biodegradable products even if they belong to a less well-known company" show desirable performance and high importance and there is a great opportunity for expansion in this area.

Food Innovation Adoption and Organic Food Consumerism-A Cross National Study between Malaysia and Hungary.

In order to meet the rising global demand for food and to ensure food security in line with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 2, technological advances have been introduced in the food production industry. The organic food industry has benefitted from advances in food technology and innovation. However, there remains skepticism regarding organic foods on the part of consumers, specifically on consumers' acceptance of food innovation technologies used in the production of organic foods. This study measured factors that influence consumers' food innovation adoption and subsequently their intention to purchase organic foods. We compared the organic foods purchase behavior of Malaysian and Hungarian consumers to examine differences between Asian and European consumers. The findings show food innovation adoption as the most crucial predictor for the intention to purchase organic foods in Hungary, while social lifestyle factor was the most influential in Malaysia. Other factors such as environmental concerns and health consciousness were also examined in relation to food innovation adoption and organic food consumerism. This paper discusses differences between European and Asian organic foods consumers and provides recommendations for stakeholders.

Experimental and Theoretical Study on the OH-Reaction Kinetics and Photochemistry of Acetyl Fluoride (CH3C(O)F), an Atmospheric Degradation Intermediate of HFC-161 (C2H5F).

The direct reaction kinetic method of low pressure fast discharge flow (DF) with resonance fluorescence monitoring of OH (RF) has been applied to determine rate coefficients for the overall reactions OH + C2H5F (EtF) (1) and OH + CH3C(O)F (AcF) (2). Acetyl fluoride reacts slowly with the hydroxyl radical, the rate coefficient at laboratory temperature is k2(300 K) = (0.74 ± 0.05) × 10(-14) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (given with 2σ statistical uncertainty). The temperature dependence of the reaction does not obey the Arrhenius law and it is described well by the two-exponential rate expression of k2(300-410 K) = 3.60 × 10(-3) exp(-10500/T) + 1.56 × 10(-13) exp(-910/T) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). The rate coefficient of k1 = (1.90 ± 0.19) × 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) has been determined for the EtF-reaction at room temperature (T = 298 K). Microscopic mechanisms for the OH + CH3C(O)F reaction have also been studied theoretically using the ab initio CBS-QB3 and G4 methods. Variational transition state theory was employed to obtain rate coefficients for the OH + CH3C(O)F reaction as a function of temperature on the basis of the ab initio data. The calculated rate coefficients are in good agreement with the experimental data. It is revealed that the reaction takes place predominantly via the indirect H-abstraction mechanism involving H-bonded prereactive complexes and forming the nascent products of H2O and the CH2CFO radical. The non-Arrhenius behavior of the rate coefficient at temperatures below 500 K is ascribed to the significant tunneling effect of the in-the-plane H-abstraction dynamic bottleneck. The production of FC(O)OH + CH3 via the addition/elimination mechanism is hardly competitive due to the significant barriers along the reaction routes. Photochemical experiments of AcF were performed at 248 nm by using exciplex lasers. The total photodissociation quantum yield for CH3C(O)F has been found significantly less than unity; among the primary photochemical processes, C-C bond cleavage is by far dominating compared with CO-elimination. The absorption spectrum of AcF has also been determined by displaying a strong blue shift compared with the spectra of aliphatic carbonyls. Consequences of the results on atmospheric chemistry have been discussed.

Photochemistry of methyl ethyl ketone: quantum yields and S1/S0-diradical mechanism of photodissociation.

Pulsed laser photolysis (PLP) at λ=248 and 308 nm coupled with gas-chromatographic analysis is applied to determine the photodissociation quantum yield (QY) of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK). Temperature dependent UV absorption cross-sections [σ(MEK)(λ,T)] are also determined. At 308 nm, the QY decreases with decreasing temperature (T=323-233 K) and with increasing pressure (P=67-998 mbar synthetic air). Stern-Volmer (SV) analysis of the T and P dependent QYs provides the experimental estimate of E(S1)=398±9 kJ mol(-1) (=300±6 nm) for the barrier of the first excited singlet state (S(1)). The QY at 248 nm is close to unity and independent of pressure (T=298 K). Theoretical reaction pathways are examined systematically on the basis of CASPT2/6-31+G* calculations. Among three possible pathways, a S(1)/S(0)-diradical mechanism, which involves H atom transfer on the S(1) surface, followed by a nonadiabatic transition at a diradical isomer of MEK, explains the experimental data very well. Therefore, this unusual mechanism, which is not seen in any smaller carbonyl compounds, is proposed as an important pathway for the MEK dissociation. Our study supports the view that both the absorption cross-sections and the QYs of carbonyls have significant temperature dependences that should be taken into account for accurate modelling of atmospheric chemistry.

Relationship between skin bacterial colonization and the occurrence of allergen-specific and non-allergen-specific antibodies in sera of children with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome.

In this study we investigated skin bacterial colonization, allergen-specific IgE and antiphospholipid/antinuclear antibodies in 72 children with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome (age 2-17 years). Bacteria were found on the skin in 41 cases and serological allergen-specific IgE positivity in 37. The different forms of antibodies appeared in the ratio 21/72 (33 antibodies in 21 children). The occurrence of antiphospholipid antibodies was significantly higher in the patients than in the controls. There were significantly more allergens in the group with bacterial colonization than in the group without colonization. The SCORAD index showed a significant positive association with the skin colonization. We conclude that there are significant relationships between the occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization and the levels of inhalant allergen-specific IgE in children with atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome, and between the occurrence of antiphospholipid IgM positivity and atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome.